Hannah Hotline: My Direct Report Keeps Making Huge Mistakes

By
Hannah Kissel
February 10, 2026
17
min
Listen to the episode
Green circle with black stylized sound waves representing the Spotify logo.
Spotify
Icon of a person with concentric circles representing a podcast or audio broadcast.
Apple Podcasts
Red YouTube play button icon with a white triangle in the center.
Youtube
DT letters in white on a blue square background.
DAILY TELEGRAPH

About the episode

What do you do when your direct report keeps making serious mistakes — and you freeze every time you need to give feedback? In this Hannah Hotline episode, Hannah responds to a senior associate at a top-tier firm who feels stuck between wanting to be kind and fearing being walked all over. A glaring client-caught error, missed instructions, and unspoken resentment all collide — revealing a deeper issue many high performers struggle with: conflict avoidance in positions of power. Hannah breaks down how to lead with clarity without becoming cold or cruel, using Radical Candor and Nonviolent Communication to help you give feedback that actually supports growth — for your team and for yourself. If you manage people, work with juniors, or feel responsible for protecting standards while staying human, this episode is a must-listen.

Hi there, I'm Hannah

Executive Coach, podcaster, speaker, writer, and builder of big f*cking Dreams. My mission? To help ambitious professionals build self-acceptance, self-trust in their careers.

Smiling woman in light suit sitting on sofa holding a microphone for podcast or recording.

The Ultimate Career Confidence Course

Discover how to show up with more confidence in high-pressure meetings, advocate for yourself at work, and be the leader you know you can be.

Get the free course
Want to stay updated?
By subscribing you agree to our Privacy Policy.
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

More from

Big F*cking Dreams

Start Listening today

We respect your inbox. Unsubscribe anytime, no questions asked.
Welcome. Check your email for what's next.
Something didn't work. Please try again.
Woman with long blonde hair sitting on a couch, speaking into a black microphone on a stand.